Ukraine blames death of separatist leader on conflict between rebels and Russia

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KIEV, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Ukraine’s security service said on Friday it believed Russia-backed separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko had been killed in east Ukraine as a result of a conflict between the rebels and their Russian sponsors.

Moscow earlier accused Kiev of being behind an explosion that killed Zakharchenko in central Donetsk on Friday.

Yelena Gitlyanskaya, a spokeswoman for the Ukraine security service, said “all of the accusations that can be heard from the Russian side are not true”. (Reporting by Olena Vasina Writing by Tom Balmforth Editing by Gareth Jones)